Each year in the United States, approximately 13,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 4,000 women die as a result.

Modern medicine has given people unprecedented tools to prevent cervical cancer and Maternal and Family Health Services, Inc. (MFHS) calls for women of all income levels to have greater access to life-saving screenings and test.

“We encourage the women of the Grand Prairie to have regular check ups and follow-ups on the screenings," Wanda Vester, Arkansas County Unit Administrator said.

Vester added that the Arkansas County Health Unit recommends yearly visits and also encourages younger women to be exposed to the cervical cancer screenings.

Vester said that the overall goal is to educate and raise awareness across the state with messages about cervical cancer and the importance of regular screenings with a focus on areas of the state with the highest mortality and lowest screening rates.

Cancer is characterized by the presence of abnormal cells that divide and grow faster than typical cells within the body.

"We, at the Arkansas County Health Unit, cannot stress the importance of regular check ups and follow-ups," Vester said. "It has saved many women's lives."

For more information on cervical cancer and screenings, contact the Stuttgart clinic at (870) 673-1609 and in DeWitt at (870) 946-2349.